Hydrangea plant named ‘Fantasia’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Fantasia’, characterized by pink and green bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, broad-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Variety denomination: ‘Fantasia’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea plant botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fantasia’. ‘Fantasia’ is adeciduous shrub grown for landscape and potted plant use. The newcultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Leimuiden, TheNetherlands during 2000. The objective of the breeding program was thedevelopment of Hydrangea varieties with novel flower colors.

The new cultivar originated from a cross pollination. The female (seed)parent of the new cultivar is the Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Adria’, notpatented, characterized by its pink-colored florets. The male (pollen)parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Hydrangea macrophyllabreeding selection designated 98-92-1, not patented, characterized byits pink-colored florets that mature to green, large leaves and longstem length. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollinationduring 2003 in a controlled environment at Leimuiden, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood stem cuttings since2003 at Leimuiden, The Netherlands has demonstrated that the newcultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, asherein described, firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Leimuiden, The Netherlands:

-   -   1. Pink and green bicolored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, broad-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and from plants of the male parent primarilyin flower color, leaf size and stem length. ‘Fantasia’ has smallerleaves and shorter stems than the male parent.

Of the many commercially available Hydrangea cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Masja’, not patented. However, incomparison, plants of the new cultivar ‘Fantasia’ differ from plants of‘Masja’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from        plants of ‘Masja’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have moderately glossy leaves        while leaves of ‘Masja’ are glossy; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller florets, as measured        by floret diameter, than plants of ‘Masja’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Fantasia’. Theplants were grown for approximately 2 years in a 3-liter container inLeimuiden, The Netherlands in a greenhouse location.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Fantasia’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Fantasia’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of a leaf of ‘Fantasia’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The data which define these characteristics were collectedfrom asexual reproductions carried out in Leimuiden, The Netherlands.The plant history was taken in September on 2-year-old plants which wereplanted and grown in 3-liter containers a greenhouse environment withdaytime temperatures between 12° C. and 22° C. and nighttimetemperatures between 8° C. and 18° C. No pinching, growth retardants orphotoperiodic treatments were used. Observations were made when theplants were in natural daylight conditions.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea macrophylla cultivar ‘Fantasia’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Adria’, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Hydrangea macrophylla breeding            selection designated 98-92-1.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Softwood stem.        -   Time to initiate roots in summer.—4 weeks with approximate            temperatures of 20° C. day/18° C. night.        -   Time to initiate roots in winter.—5 weeks with approximate            temperatures of 12° C. day/8° C. night.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant in summer.—3 months            with approximate temperatures of 20° C. day/18° C. night.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant in winter.—3 months            with approximate temperatures of 12° C. day/8° C. night.        -   Root description.—White, dense, medium thickness, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Type.—Perennial. Overall shape: Flattened globular. High            temperature tolerance: Tolerant to at least 40° C. Low            temperature tolerance: Hardy to at least USDA Zone 6.        -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 12 months from rooted            cutting to finish in a 15 cm container.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Broad upright,            moderately vigorous.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 24.5 cm. Width: Approximately 45.7 cm. Rate of            growth: In spring, approximately 10 cm per month.        -   Branching habit.—Moderately basal branching; pinching will            improve basal branching. Quantity of branches per plant:            Approximately 9.        -   Stem.—Shape: Rounded. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect.            Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 14.2 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 3.7 cm. Texture: Moderately glossy, with            lenticels sparsely distributed at approximately 4 per            square cm. Lenticel length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Lenticel            width: Approximately 0.5 mm. Lenticel color: N186C. Color of            young and mature stems: 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per stem:            Approximately 8. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.            Durability to stress: High.        -   Leaves.—Shape: Broadly obovate to broadly elliptic. Margin:            Serrate, lower one third entire. Apex: Apiculate. Base:            Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 9.2 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            6.0 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glaborous, moderately glossy. Color of upper surface of            young foliage: 143A to 144A with venation of 145B. Color of            lower surface of young foliage: 144A with venation of 145C.            Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Closest to 137A            with venation of 145B. Color of lower surface of mature            foliage: 138B with venation of 145C.        -   Petiole.—Shape: Rounded. Length: Approximately 1.7 cm.            Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Color: 145A.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing            conditions with substantially continuous blooming from early            May through October.        -   Lastingness of flower on the plant.—Approximately 4 weeks.        -   Flowering response time.—Approximately 9 weeks.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Compound corymb with both            sterile, non-sepalous florets and fertile, sepalous florets            borne on the same corymb, persistent. Quantity of            inflorescences per plant: Approximately 8. Fragrance: None            detected. Height: Approximately 10.3 cm. Width:            Approximately 15.7 cm. Quantity of opened flowers per            inflorescence: Approximately 60 sterile, and approximately            18 fertile. Rate of flower opening: Approximately 50% of the            flowers at any stage.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Approximately a 20°            angle. Length: Approximately 6.2 cm. Diameter: Approximately            4.0 mm. Texture: Moderate pubescence of short, white hairs            approximately 0.3 mm in length. Color: 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Single, rotate. Aspect: Upright            to outward.-   Fertile flowers:    -   -   Bud.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 18. Shape:            Globular. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Color: 143B. Rate of opening from this            stage: Approximately 3 days.        -   Corolla.—Depth: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 6.0 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, occasionally a few additional petals.            Appearance: Dull. Shape: Ovate, concave. Margin: Entire.            Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth. Color of upper surface when first and fully open:            143C with 144C at base. Color of lower surface when first            and fully open: 143B.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Campanulate. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: 5. Arrangement: Rotate. Appearance: Dull.            Shape: Ovate, lower 5 percent fused. Margin: Entire. Apex:            Acute. Base: Cuneate. Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width:            Approximately 1.5 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth. Color of upper surface of immature and mature            sepals: 144B. Color of lower surface of immature and mature            sepals: 144B.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: Approximately at a 5°            angle. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately            1.0 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 177D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 10 per            flower. Anther shape: Kidney. Anther length: Approximately            1.5 mm. Filament length: Approximately 1.5 mm. Anther color:            145C to 145D. Filament color: 145A to 145B. Pollen amount:            None detected. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: Typically 3,            occasionally 2 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately            2.0 mm. Stigma shape: Club. Stigma color: 145B. Style            length: Approximately 1.5 mm. Style color: 145B to 145C.            Ovary color: 145B to 145C.-   Sterile flowers:    -   -   Bud.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 60. Shape:            Ovate. Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately            5.0 mm. Color: 145C. Rate of opening from this stage:            Approximately 3 days.        -   Corolla.—Depth: Approximately 1.8 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 4.8 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5. Appearance: Dull. Shape: Ovate,            concave. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately            4.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth. Color of upper surface when first            and fully open: 143C with 144C at base. Color of lower            surface when first open: 145C. Color of lower surface when            fully open: 143B.        -   Bracts.—Quantity: 4, occasionally 5. Shape: Broadly deltoid            to broadly elliptic. Margin: Serrate, lower one third            entire. Apex: Rounded to bluntly acute. Base: Cuneate.            Length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Width: Approximately 2.1 cm.            Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color of upper            surface of immature bracts: N144C marbled with 63C with            venation of 145C to 145D. Color of lower surface of immature            and mature bracts: 145C marbled with 63D with            indistinguishable venation. Color of upper surface of mature            bracts: 145A to 145B marbled with 63C with indistinguishable            venation. With age bracts fade to N144D marbled with 65C to            65D.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: Approximately at a 50°            angle. Length: Approximately 2.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately            2.0 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 186D.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: No particular resistance or    susceptibility to diseases or insects noted to date.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘Fantasia’,substantially as herein shown and described.